Stars

Every day since I started this thing, I wake up and just want to blog! Ah it's so fun!

I have spent this day with the gentleness of classical music, autumn scents from a frosted pumpkin candle, the caffeine boost of coffee, 2 adorable pups, and sermon writing.  The day outside is sunny and colorful.  I am surrounded by inspiration and beauty.  Surely a good sermon can come out of that, right?  I hope so.  :)

Last night was our youth group hayride to the farm of a family in the church.  The 20 minute drive to the farm accompanied by the hayride to our hotdog roasting spot was simply breathtaking.  Green rolling hills scattered with color and light from the trees and the blue sky.  The setting sun tinted everything with a radiant glow.  After the sun went down, the stars came out in full force - millions and millions of tiny dancing lights that twinkled at us from lightyears away.  Top it off with s'mores, hotdogs, a bunch of silly teenagers (and silly adults) and it was one great evening.

I think that everyday, we have a chance to be more thankful than the day before.  More thankful for life.  More thankful for the people we love.  More thankful for opportunities to learn and be and do.  I am learning to be more thankful with each passing day; in hopes that the more grateful I am the more connected I will be to God and to others.  In a world that is torn apart by divisions of all sorts, one of the biggest things we need is to feel connected.  That no matter what the differences between people, cultures, societies, ethnicities, language, race, lifestyle, country, etc., etc., etc., - we can all look up at the stars at night and know that everyone everywhere sees the beauty of millions of tiny dancing lights twinkling at us from lightyears away.  The thought is over my head and firmly under my feet all at the same time.  Connection.  Oneness.  Togetherness.  It gives me hope.  And that is something to be thankful for.